As explained by Brendan Atkinson, a technical advisor to the Australian publication for shooters and hunters, “Australian Shooter”:
“Firearms work better, shoot straighter and last longer if they are properly maintained and treated with respect. A large part of this maintenance involves the proper cleaning and care of the working mechanisms and the all-important bore.
When a firearm is discharged, particles of burnt powder and primer residue are left in the bore, along with copper or lead-fouling depending on what bullets are being used. The next shot causes the bullet to pass over the fouling and so on for subsequent shots. If the firearm is neglected and many shots fired, a sandwich build-up of fouling can occur in the bore, especially just in front of the chamber. This, in effect, reduces the size of the bore and can result in a rise in pressure—in extreme cases, copper-clad bullets can be swaged down by this fouling so they exit the bore slightly undersized, and this is why fouling causes accuracy to drop off as more shots are fired . . . . Shotgun shooters have an additional problem, in that plastic fouling from the wads used to hold the shot can sometimes leave a very stubborn type of fouling in the bore. Special brushes are available to help remove this.”
Firearm maintenance involves keeping the gun and all working parts free of carbon, metal particles (lead, copper, brass), and any other contaminant or foreign substance that may cause the gun to malfunction or to wear out prematurely. Firearms should generally be cleaned after firing them, and a deep cleaning should be performed periodically. Oiling and lubricating the firearms is also necessary to ensure their proper functioning, to keep them from rusting, and to condition the metal components.
Firearms are partially or fully disassembled, when applicable, to properly clean them. A revolver usually does not have to be disassembled, while a semi-automatic handgun usually does.
Some tools typically used in modern firearm cleaning are: a “bore snake” to clean the barrel; a brass jag (attached to a rod) with a speared cotton patch to clean the barrel; and different solvents and gun oils to remove contaminants and to lubricate and protect the components of the firearm. Other tools, such as a screwdriver, are sometimes needed for disassembly.
A bore snake is a tool used to clean the inside (bore) of the barrel of a firearm. It resembles a short section of rope with a smaller, weighted cord attached to one end to help feed the bore snake through the barrel. A bore snake often has one or more integrated brushes to help clean the barrel, and may also be used to apply lubricant. It is an alternative to using a cleaning rod and patches to clean the barrel of a firearm. Bore snakes are made in different sizes for different calibers and gauges of guns.
Bristle brushes are sometimes used to clean bores, followed by a lubricated soft rag. Bristles, if not used with a bore-guide, can destroy rifling and leave residue. A bore-guide prevents the cleaning rod from contacting the sensitive throat area of the barrel.
After a thorough cleaning, the next step in maintaining a firearm is to properly lubricate it. Lubrication is as important, if not more so than cleaning. In order to keep the firearm from malfunctioning, proper lubrication is essential and proper oiling protects metal parts from corrosion as well.
Cotton and wool mops are used, as a final step, to soak up oil, leftover solvent, debris or other moisture to protect the bore of a shotgun, rifle or handgun. These mops/swabs help ensure accuracy at the range and in the field.
Q-Tips® cotton swabs are often used to clean, oil or grease parts of the firearms, such as the breech or receiver. As good as Q-Tips® swabs are for getting into small or tight places, like the outside folds of a person's ears, the cotton swabs can leave fibers behind on a firearm's metal edges.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a simpler method and apparatus for cleaning firearms—one that requires fewer steps and parts.
It is another general object to provide a simple device for cleaning and lubricating the bores of firearms without worrying about harming any rifling.